Magic Theatre, the San Francisco company devoted to new plays, announced that Mark Routhier will step down as the director of artistic development in September 2008 to focus on his growing national directing career.

Mark Routhier

A national search for his replacement begins immediately. Routhier has been on the Magic staff for six years starting as literary manager before taking on the position of director of artistic development for the past two seasons. He will be remounting his world-premiere production of Yussef el Guindi's Jihad Jones and the Kalashnikov Babes at Los Angeles Theater Center with Golden Thread Productions and is slated to direct Conor McPherson's The Seafarer at Southern Rep in New Orleans this season.

Routhier will continue to serve on the executive committee of the National New Plays Network (NNPN). He will return to the Magic this winter to direct a new play workshop and will produce and direct Magic's 2008-09 Science on Stage New Play Event.

Previously at the Magic, he directed the world premiere of Kevin Fisher's Monkey Room, last season's Magic Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Science & Technology Initiative production, a new play development program that Routhier has managed since its inception in 2004.

His Magic Theatre new play development credits include directing Marisa Wegrzyn's Hickorydickory, Rajiv Joseph's Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, and Annie Baker's Nocturama as well as overseeing all of Magic's developmental reading and workshop programs.

"This is bitter-sweet news for me. We are sad to see Mark go, but I couldn't be more thrilled for the opportunities that have opened up for him in the last year," stated artistic director Loretta Greco. "As a director who got her start in arts administration, I recognize the momentum of a directing career on the rise and I cannot wait to have him back at the Magic as a visiting artist." "Mark's contributions to the Magic are too many to count," stated managing director David Jobin. "He has been a tireless champion for playwrights at the Magic and I am especially thankful for his leadership during the transition last season. We are very grateful to have him for another month at the Magic to help launch this new chapter under Loretta's leadership."

"I am incredibly excited to take on the challenge of a freelance career and to increase my responsibilities with the NNPN," stated Routhier. "With the offers that have been coming in this past summer from around the country, it became very clear that a full-time job as an arts administrator was going to be impossible to fulfill. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the Magic Theatre board and staff for their support and camaraderie over the last six years."